Snowbending
by Dakota Cheyenne
Summary: One shot. Spoilers from the finale. A lighthearted day after long and hard training.


Snowbending

Hey, guys! Welcome to _Snowbending_, my first Legend of Korra fanfiction. Disclaimer: I own neither the series or any of the characters within it. As I said in the summary, there will be spoilers from the finale in the story. Without further ado, here is _Snowbending_!

(Snowbending)

It's scary to approach Noatak sometimes. Ever since they started waterbending, Noatak had become withdrawn and introspective, spending his free hours by himself. Tarrlok, not wishing to interrupt him, usually finds something else to do. But their father is gone for the day. And a large storm last night brought in a lot of snow. And Tarrlok is going to make Noatak play with him, whether he likes it or not.

Tarrlok finds Noatak lying on a bank of snow, his arm over his eyes. "Noatak?"

Noatak lifts his arm. "What?"

Tarrlok looks down and shuffles his feet. "I was just wondering…do you want to make snowmen together?"

"Snowmen."

"Yes. Snowmen."

Noatak covers his eyes again. "I'm too old to make snowmen."

"You're only twelve!" shouts Tarrlok as he stamps his foot, "And we used to build snowmen all the time. Come on, Noatak, it'll be fun. Please, please, please?"

The corner of Noatak's mouth rises. "Okay, okay, Tarrlok. Let's do it."

For the next two hours, Tarrlok and Noatak build three large snowmen. Tarrlok dashes between each snowman, adding any bits and pieces he can find to them, but not before getting Noatak's opinion. Noatak, in turn, would hold his chin as in deep contemplation before telling Tarrlok to put the rock on Snowman three, or the stick on Snowman one.

Tarrlok was so ecstatic that Noatak was playing with him that he doesn't feel the snowball until it collides with his shoulder, sending him into the snow. "Noatak!" he shouts as his brother laughs. While Noatak is distracted, Tarrlok repays the favor by throwing a snowball at hitting, knocking the wind out of him. Now it is Tarrlok's turn to laugh.

With that, Tarrlok and Noatak trade snowballs. Although Tarrlok hits Noatak several times, Noatak overpowers him. "Maybe I can get him if I…" says Tarrlok before motioning his hands. The snow rolls itself into three large snowballs before launching itself at Noatak. Noatak stops them in midair.

Dozens of snowballs appear behind Noatak as he smirks. "You're going have to do better than that, Tarrlok."

Tarrlok only has a second to raise a wall before he is bombarded by an onslaught of snowballs. Darn it, he thinks, why did I give Noatak the idea? Noatak is a hundred times the waterbender he'll ever be; he was only hoping to catch him off guard. Only when Tarrlok stops thinking does he notice that there is no sound. He scoots off the wall, fearing that Noatak might bend it. Hesitantly, Tarrlok peers over the wall.

Three snowmen charge towards him. Heart pounding, Tarrlok breaks into a sprint. No matter where he goes, the snowmen are right on his heels. Tarrlok dares a glance at Noatak, and is surprised at what he sees. Confusion runs across Noatak's face before he breaks into uncontrollable laughter. What's so funny?, Tarrlok wonders before figuring it out. Why is he running away?

Tarrlok turns around and motions his hands. Two of the snowmen break apart, while the third one flies towards Noatak. Noatak stops it easily, but is too slow to stop Tarrlok's wall, which knocks him flat on his back.

Tarrlok smiles in spite of himself. He was able to best Noatak. How cool is that? As he walks towards Noatak, a sheet of snow slams him face-first into the ground.

"Ow" he groans as he sits up and brushes himself off, "Noatak!"

"I didn't mean for you to hit the ground that hard" says Noatak as he shakes the snow off of him, "but the way you went down was hilarious."

"Not as funny as when you were hit by my wall."

With that, they both laugh. Noatak musses Tarrlok's hair. "You were right. This was fun."

"We should do it again sometimes. Maybe next time, we can-"

A chill runs up Tarrlok's spine as he hears the sound of ostrich-horses; Father is home. Noatak's smile disappears, leaving behind the cold young man that Tarrlok tries to avoid like a plague.

"Yeah" says Noatak as he heads towards home, "Maybe next time."

Tarrlok sighs as he follows Noatak. Will there be a next time? He wasn't so sure

(Snowbending)

Well, this is the end of _Snowbending_. Special thanks to Ikki for giving me the idea in the first episode of LOK. Now, here's a bonus story, _The Storm Last Night_. Enjoy!

(The Storm Last Night)

In spite of being sore from doing waterbending maneuvers hundreds of times, in spite of being up until early morning hours bloodbending, Noatak can't get to sleep. Father had forced him and Tarrlok to bloodbend a group of wolfbats in some of the caves. The screeches they made before being completely under their control sent a chill down his spine. Tarrlok turned green, but he wouldn't have thrown up for anything; Father would have left him in those caves if he did. Soon, they had to head back home due to the incoming storm. If either he or Tarrlok died, that would inhibit their father's quest for revenge.

Noatak looks over at his brother as the winds crash into their window. Tarrlok is curled up in a ball on his cot, his hands pressed against his ears and his eyes clamped shut. Noatak shakes his head. After what they saw tonight, he's afraid of a little wind? He wishes his brother wasn't so cowardly. He wishes he was stronger. Something about how small he looked now, however, makes Noatak go and lie beside Tarrlok. "Don't be afraid" he says as he touches Tarrlok's shoulder, startling the younger boy, "It's just the wind."

"But what if the wind busts the window? Or it blows down our igloo?"

"None of those things are going to happen, Tarrlok."

"How do you know that?"

Noatak looks outside. Through the snow, wind, and clouds, he can see the silhouette of the full moon. "The moon spirit will protect us."

"No it won't. The moon is part of nature, just like the storm. Wouldn't it be more loyal to it than to us?"

Noatak frowns at this conclusion before putting his arm around Tarrlok's shoulders. "Even though the moon spirit is part of nature, she was once human."

"No way!"

"It's true. Nearly forty-two years ago, the Northern Water Tribe chief had a daughter, Princess Yue. When she was a baby, Princess Yue was near death. The moon spirit, however, saved her life, leaving her with hair as white as snow. Everything was well in the princess' life until she became a young woman. Then the Fire Nation attacked. Out of their lust for power, they killed the moon spirit, which was in the form of a koi fish. All seemed hopeless, until Princess Yue realized that she could use the life energy given to her as a baby to revive the moon spirit. Princess Yue sacrificed her mortal life to become the new moon spirit, saving the Northern Water Tribe."

Tarrlok puckers his lips. "That's not true."

"It is. And look, she's helped us out already."

Outside, the gusts became a light breeze. Fresh snow piles under the window as the moon's light reflects on the snow and the eyes of the boys looking at it.

"Was Princess Yue as beautiful as the moon?" asks Tarrlok.

"Absolutely"

"That's nice." Tarrlok puts his head on Noatak's chest and closes his eyes. "I hope I can meet her someday."

Noatak sighs as he musses Tarrlok's hair before closing his own eyes. "Me too"

(The Storm Last Night)

This is the end of both stories. I thank you for reading.


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